Guarded
by MidnightIndigo
Summary: He used to confide in her, but it's been almost two years, and things have changed.  Why is he suddenly so guarded?


**A/N: Hope you like this! I admittedly wrote this months ago and am just now getting around to posting it. Sorry about that. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl. **

Holly yawned and trudged into her kitchen, plopping down at the island and picking up the stack of electronic paperwork she'd neglected to finish the night before. Being a major wasn't nearly as fun as the rookies believed.

She flipped over her communicator and looked at it longingly. She really wished it would-

It beeped and glowed green.

She smiled happily and picked it up. Meet me at Tara later today? I wanted to catch up, it read.

Her grin widened, but then her eyes fell once again on the stack of digi-files. How the heck was she going to get to the surface?

"How do I get to the surface?"

Foaly looked up at his friend as she entered his domain. "Why are we going to the surface?"

"I would like to go to the surface. You're just the one who's getting me there."

"No appreciation," Foaly said mopily, but began hacking away on his keyboard anyways. "So why are you heading topside? Anything the Council would approve of?"

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, lover boy. I should've known. Pretty sure the Council's not gonna go for 'make out sessions with old acquaintances' as a good excuse for leaving on LEP official business."

Holly was grateful that her darkened skin hid her blush. To cover anything Foaly might have noticed, she rolled her eyes and snapped, "You're insane. Our relationship is so platonic it can't even be called a relationship."

He hummed lightly, unconvinced. "We can always go the unofficial route, which, while not technically illegal, is frowned upon and will probably get you some sort of referral. And, knowing you, some sort of IA investigation when it's all over. Particularly considering who you're going to see..."

This time Holly was surprised that he didn't notice even the slightest pink tinge in her cheeks. "Unofficial is fine. Just get me to the surface."

She waited for several minutes before he tapped a screen. "There. Your alibi. Now go see your boyfriend."

She hugged him tightly. "Thanks, old friend."

As she left he called, "I better get carrots for this!"

"You lost that right with the boyfriend quip," she yelled back.

He shrugged. He knew her apartment code. Her fridge would probably be empty when she returned.

She got through security with her somewhat legal visa and LEP badge. Granted, she wasn't technically supposed to be on duty (she had used a vacation day for this) but the badge always scared away grumpy security guards.

She emerged several hours later in a shuttle, emerging on the green slopes of Ireland. She looked around, shielded and seeing nothing, until she saw the tell-tale metallic glitter of a car beyond a hill. She skipped over and stopped in her tracks.

Artemis leaned against the car, but instead of the typical Bentley, he had driven to the fairy port in a silver Lamborghini.

"Whoa," she said quickly. He raised an eyebrow in his best bemused expression. "Nice car."

"Sixteenth birthday present from my father. I'm convinced he just didn't want me taking his car everywhere anymore."

"Where's Butler?" she frowned.

"Not here, amazingly. I insisted that he let me come on our own. It took some persuading, but I did it. He seemed to be under the impression that we would cause an international incident."

"Foaly is of the same impression," Holly sniffed. "After all these years, does no one trust us?"

They both snorted, and Artemis opened the passenger door for her. She slid in and waited for him to circle the car and enter the drivers' seat. "So, Arty, what did you want to talk about?"

"Not here," he said with a sly smile.

"Artemis, where are we going?"

"Well, I figured since we haven't seen each other in a year and a half, we could go have lunch."

A year and a half-to Holly it seemed like longer. She surveyed her friend; he had just turned seventeen, she remembered. She really hadn't seen him since they'd cured him of Atlantis Complex and he'd been allowed to return home. He no longer wore a suit; now it was replaced with a brown jacket, a polo and slacks. Not technically casual, but moreso than he used to dress. His black hair was longer than she remembered, and his face looked older, almost wiser. The only thing that didn't seem to have changed was his eyes. Mismatched blue and hazel, mirroring hers. As she watched him driving (somehow he drove fast but carefully at the same time), he met her gaze, and she saw something in his eyes, something she couldn't name. It was some indescribable emotion that she wasn't able to decipher.

Apparently she wasn't as able to keep her face as inscrutable, or maybe it was just his talent for reading people and predicting. "I guess I've changed a lot. You don't look a bit different."

She looked away quickly, staring back out the window. She wondered what the acceptable comment was in the situation. What was she supposed to say? I missed you? I don't go an hour without thinking about you? I never want to live without you again? Somehow none of these seemed appropriate at the moment, so she decided on, "You look good."

"As do you," he said with a smile.

They drove into Dublin and he parked beside a curb. He quickly got out and opened her door as well, offering a hand for her. She took it gingerly and allowed him to pull her out.

"Where are we going?" she asked. As soon as they set foot on the pavement they received weird looks: the famous billionaire and his tiny female companion. Holly realized that Artemis was almost two feet taller than her, at just over five feet. This was short compared to a lot of human men, but to Holly she felt like a little kid beside him. She changed her question. "Since when are you so tall?"

"I am short, when you consider how tall my parents are. I believe that that may be a result of the fairy magic. It perhaps partially invaded my DNA, from both the stolen magic and the multitude of healings I have received during years when I was still growing."

Holly smiled to herself, turning to look at the other side of the street so he wouldn't see her grin. He might've been taller, older, different, but when he opened his mouth it was obvious that this was still Artemis Fowl.

"And in response to your original question, this is our destination." He opened the door of a small cafe, allowing her to walk in before him. A waitress stood behind a wood podium, marking something down. Artemis cleared his throat, and she glanced up at him. When she saw who it was, she smiled.

"Master Fowl, what a pleasant surprise. We haven't seen you in a few weeks. Table for two then? Outside?"

Artemis nodded and the waitress grabbed two menus, leading them to an empty table. It was outdoors, plants and small fountains placed between tables. Not many people were out; it was almost fall, but it still felt like summer, and most of the patrons were glad of the air conditioning and shelter from the sun inside.

Artemis held out a chair for Holly, and she sat, thinking that he was certainly acting polite today. But maybe, she reflected, he had just matured.

Artemis sat down opposite her, and the waitress handed both of them menus.

Once she had left, Artemis smiled at Holly. "It is truly great to see you. It's been too long."

"Yes it has," Holly replied. "I'm sorry I never had clearance to come."

Artemis smiled. "I'm sorry there was never an crisis for us to put an end to."

"Your life's sure been boring, hasn't it, Fowl?" she teased.

He shrugged. "I wouldn't necessarily say boring. More like...lacking magic. Boring doesn't exist in my household. And, incredibly, it's not my doing anymore either."

Holly raised an eyebrow.

"Well, not always," he corrected. He looked at her again with that emotion she couldn't name. "Mother's missed you as well. She says that she quite liked knowing you."

Holly looked down at the menu and didn't respond for a few minutes. Finally she asked, "How's Butler?"

"He's doing well."

There was another uncomfortable silence. The waitress returned and took their orders.

Holly watched him. He seemed to be looking everywhere but at her. Why couldn't they have a normal conversation? It seemed like every other sentence resulted in this looming silence.

She looked away from him. Finally he spoke, and she almost jumped out of surprise. "I'm sorry I haven't called, Holly. Truly, terribly sorry."

She'd definitely been thinking it for a while: "Why haven't you?"

He had been looking at her, but now he dropped his gaze. "I've been busy, I knew you would be stopped by the Council. I didn't want you to get in trouble."

Holly snorted. "Right, because I've never been in trouble before. Don't lie to me, Artemis."

Now he looked up. "I just...I had to think. I couldn't see you, or it was going to ruin everything."

She narrowed her eyes. What was that supposed to mean?

"I had to be able to focus on other things, and I...I can't with you."

"Are you saying I'm distracting?" she asked with a grin.

He raised an eyebrow, serious. "Yes."

But he didn't elaborate, so Holly sat back in the chair. He seemed so distant today. Had it truly been too long? She felt like he was an old acquaintance, not the person who used to be her best friend. Perhaps she was wrong to have come. But she was here now, and she had to fix this. To do that, she needed to push him.

"Why am I a distraction?"

"Don't ask me that, Holly. Please. I made my peace with my mind a long time ago. I had to let go of some things, but it's still there, if not a little."

"What does that mean?" she asked in exasperation. "Why are you acting so guarded?"

"Because I'm worried!" he snapped, not meanly, but as though he'd finally reached a breaking point. The few people outside stared at them, so he switched easily to Gnommish. "If I say what I'd like to say, the Council will ban you from ever coming to see me. Even this was risky, I know. I assume you didn't ask them whether you could visit mud boy Artemis Fowl?"

She shook her head. "Foaly helped me."

"I probably should've guessed that."

"Artemis," she said, slowly, reaching across the table and placing a hand on his arm, "just tell me."

Their food arrived at that moment, and he didn't talk until they'd finished. "Do you want dessert?"

"No thanks."

He asked for the check and paid, and they left, walking out onto the streets of Dublin. Instead of going to the car, he passed it. "Now where are we going?"

"We're going for a walk. We need to talk, Holly."

"I tried getting you to talk earlier."

"I wasn't ready to talk then. I think I am now."

She frowned but followed him, waiting for him to speak.

"I've learned a lot since I had Atlantis Complex," he began. "I realized that I really hated being the one who always ruined everything. And don't say I wasn't. When people got hurt, it was generally my fault."

"Artemis-"

"I hate when people I love get hurt. I didn't used to. Maybe it was just that I didn't love very many people."

There was another pause, but Holly didn't try to speak.

"I've thought about the People for two years, Holly. But you were the only one I really wanted to talk to. Now that I am, I don't know if I can say what I've been thinking."

She was beginning to get worried. What was he talking about? Artemis Fowl was never like this. Cold and calculating, yes. Scared and worried and (Holly's mind kept coming back to the word) guarded. That was the only thing she could think. She felt like she was on the outside, as though watching Artemis talk to himself, which scared her most of all. This couldn't be another case of Atlantis Complex, could it? Or did he just no longer trust her?

"I'm sorry I'm being so cryptic, Holly. I need to tell you..."

"Tell me what? Just say it, Artemis!" They had walked into a small park and he sat down on a bench. Holly sat beside him, looking at him expectantly. The height difference was less pronounced when they sat, which Holly was grateful for. No one was around; they were hidden in a grove of trees.

He finally met her eyes, and now she saw what it was in them. Longing. And suddenly she knew what he was going to say. "Holly, I...I love you." He bent his head down slightly and kissed her.

She melted and kissed him back. He pulled her closer to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she pulled away. "I love you too."

"The Council is never going to let us see each other again," he guessed.

"No they're not," she shook her head. "Not if we have anything to say about it. I think between us we're pretty persuasive."

He kissed her again. "I guess we'd better start putting our case together then."

She raised an eyebrow. "Today? Nah. We'll just let them think I'm sick at home today. Next time."

She laughed and kissed him again. He grinned. "Yeah, you're right, this is much more fun."

Holly took the shuttle home an hour later, returning to her apartment for the rest of the day. The next day she went to visit Foaly before the Commander got in.

"So, how was it?" Foaly asked in a singsongy expectant voice.

She smirked. "You wouldn't want me to kiss and tell, would you?"

He raised his eyebrows. "So I suppose your day went well."

"It might've," she grinned. She turned to leave. As she turned around the corner she called back, "Thanks, Foaly."

He smirked. He was calling her later. She had some explaining to do.

As she passed Trouble's office, she tried to sneak, but she heard, "Holly Short! Where were you yesterday?"

She poked her head in. "I wasn't feeling well."

"I hope you're better today."

She smiled. "Much."

**A/N: Don't forget to review! They're always appreciated, you know. :)**


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